Behrampore, March 31: Three businessmen were caught during a failed bid to kidnap their rival’s son in front of the central jail here today.

Eight-year-old Bapi Rauf was travelling with his parents in a rickshaw when a Sumo stopped in front and five men jumped out. As they tried to snatch the boy from his parents, a mob surrounded the vehicle.

Three men fled but three others were caught and thrashed. They are in hospital, said Murshidabad police chief Basab Dasgupta.

Atai Sheikh, 30, Sanwar Sheikh, 28, and the driver of the Sumo, Ramgopal Bittar, 25, who is from Maharashtra, have been arrested.

The Sumo had a Maharashtra registration. “We are looking into the Maharashtra angle,” Dasgupta said.

Abdur, 32, who deals in human hair, said: “Those who tried to kidnap my son had failed in their business.”

A probe into whether he owed money to anyone is on.

With Bapi and wife Shahina, Abdur had come to the jail to see his brother Ishaque, who is facing trial on a charge of rioting.